Neapolitans are known worldwide for being loud, spontaneous, and generous. Their spirit is what distinguishes them among Italians: they face adversity with a smile, a light heart, and solidarity. Generosity is intrinsic in some of their customs. One of these involves a quintessentially Neapolitan specialty: coffee.
Imagine yourself sipping your decadent coffee in an Italian cafè while people-watching. You overhear a customer asking the barista for two cups of coffee but only receiving one. Despite the situation, he looks content. Brimming with curiosity, you ask the customer why he ordered in this way. He replies that the second coffee is a “sospeso” and not meant for him; it’s for someone less fortunate who may be in need later.
This act of spontaneous generosity is said to have been born during WWII when the country and its people were in crisis. People who could afford their coffee were happy to lend a hand to those who couldn’t.
There is a Neapolitan proverb which says “fà male e piensece, fà bbene e scuordate,” which means that when you act badly you should think about it, while being a good person should be something you do spontaneously (without the need to be praised for it). The tradition of “caffè sospeso” is this idea in practice; the receiver of that free coffee will never know who gifted it, and the purchaser will never know who benefited from it.
This random act of kindness has become so popular that other countries tried to recreate their own version, such as the “empanada pendiente” in Argentina. Even in Naples, you can spot different versions of it! In April 2020 when Italy was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the famous pizzeria “Concettina ai Tre Santi” launched “pizza sospesa” to help those most in need.
December 10 is Caffè Sospeso Day in honor of this heartfelt tradition. When in Naples, embrace warmth and kindness by ordering a sospeso yourself, like locals do!
